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A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
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AN ACT
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rela |
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ting to the application to vote early by mail in more than one |
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election. |
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BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
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SECTION 1. Subchapter B, Chapter 84, Election Code, is |
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amended by adding Section 84.038 to read as follows: |
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Sec. 84.038. CANCELLATION EFFECTIVE FOR SINGLE ELECTION. |
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The cancellation of an application for a ballot to be voted by mail |
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under Section 84.032(c), (d), or (e) is effective for a single |
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ballot only and does not cancel the application with respect to a |
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subsequent election, including a subsequent election to which the |
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same application applies under Section 84.001(e) or 86.0015(b). |
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SECTION 2. Section 86.0015, Election Code, is amended to |
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read as follows: |
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Sec. 86.0015. APPLYING FOR MORE THAN ONE ELECTION IN SAME |
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APPLICATION. (a) This section applies only to an application for |
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a ballot to be voted by mail that: |
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(1) indicates [is submitted to the county clerk
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indicating] the ground of eligibility is age or disability; and |
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(2) does not specify the election for which a ballot is |
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requested. |
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(b) An application described by Subsection (a) is |
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considered to be an application for a ballot for each election, |
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including any ensuing runoff [in which the county clerk serves as
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early voting clerk and]: |
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(1) in which the applicant is eligible to vote; and |
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(2) that occurs before the earlier of: |
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(A) the end of: |
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(i) the calendar year in which the |
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application was submitted, if the application was submitted in an |
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even-numbered year; or |
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(ii) the subsequent even-numbered calendar |
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year, if the application was submitted in an odd-numbered year; or |
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(B) the date the county clerk receives notice |
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from the voter registrar under Subsection (f) [(d)] that the voter |
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has changed residence to another county [submitted a change in
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registration information]. |
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(c) In an election of a political subdivision located in a |
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county in which the county clerk is not the early voting clerk, the |
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county clerk shall provide the early voting clerk of the political |
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subdivision that is holding the election a list of voters in the |
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portion of the political subdivision located in the county who have |
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ballot applications on file under this section. The early voting |
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clerk shall provide a ballot to be voted by mail to each voter on the |
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list. |
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(d) The secretary of state shall provide a method by which |
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counties and political subdivisions located in the county can |
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exchange and update information on applications received under this |
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section. |
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(e) An application described by Subsection (a) shall be |
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preserved for the period for preserving the precinct election |
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records for the last election for which the application is |
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effective. |
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(f) [(d)] The voter registrar shall notify the county clerk |
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following the receipt of a notice of a change in registration |
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information under Section 15.021. The county clerk shall: |
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(1) except as provided by Subdivision (2), send to the |
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voter ballots to be voted by mail as required by this section at the |
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voter's updated address, and update as necessary the lists provided |
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to early voting clerks under Subsection (c) to reflect the change; |
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or |
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(2) delete the voter from the county clerk's list of |
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voters who have ballot applications on file under this section, if |
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the voter's county of residence has changed. |
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SECTION 3. The changes in law made by this Act apply only to |
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an election for which an application for a ballot to be voted by |
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mail may not be submitted before January 1, 2016. |
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SECTION 4. This Act takes effect September 1, 2015. |